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Tuesday, July 9, 2013

CAN YOU SMELL THE LEMONS?

I have not had access to my blog for three days.  Frightening!

So I haven't been ignoring you.  I've actually pined for you.  :-)  So how are things?


Willie is known for his baklava.  Painstakingly constructed, flaky and delectable, the appearance of his baklava is as anticipated as the appearance of his other homemade contributions to local parties. 

Chili.  Caramels. Taco dip.  Baklava.

Friendship with Willie is delicious.

I rise from my chair, put down the book I am reading and follow my nose.  The house reeks of lemons and honey, of home-made goodness and the next pants’ size up.

I wander toward the kitchen, stand in the doorway and watch as the baklava is being built, watch as tissue-thin sheets of phyllo dough are laid out, brushed with a buttery paintbrush. 

Willie is wearing headphones, the tinny overflow seeping out around his ears and into the silent room, oblivious to everything but the music and the dessert currently under construction. 

He looks up, grins at me. 

“HOW’S IT SMELL?  CAN YOU SMELL THE LEMONS?”

I laugh.  “Can I smell it? What do I look like, like I’m hard of smelling?”

He pulls the headphones off.  “I’m sorry,” he says.  “What?”

I shake my head: no apology necessary.  “The house smells of nothing BUT lemons,” I say.  “If it tastes even half as good as it smells, it’ll be a big hit.”

I make a half-hearted reach for some uncooked phyllo.  Willie bats my hand away. 

I like to make the effort.

And Willie puts his headphones back on, returns to baklava assembly, head already nodding in time to the music. 


“MAN,” he shouts, “I LOVE COOKING.”

25 comments:

Simply Suthern said...

MMMMMMM , Gotta love a man that likes to cook.

I like making Rice Krispy Treats, but that aint cooking is it.

Sioux Roslawski said...

Jeezle, my mouth is watering and my gut is protruding even more, just from your post.

Thanks a LOT, Pearl.

Anonymous said...

A man who cooks like that is one to keep around.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
Lordy but that's got the juices running...

Leenie said...

I can smell them all the way over here! And it sounds like Willie is really COOKING. Go Willie.

Watson said...

I'm drooling, and gained five pounds just reading the post! But it was worth it!! ;-)
Daisy's Barbara

Lynn said...

Now I want lunch. :)

jenny_o said...

Just for the sake of better information, who does the day-in, day-out, everyday suppertime cooking, hmm? If it's Willie, he does love cooking. If it's not, what he loves is PLAYING at cooking!

Does this mean I don't get any baklava? Er, can I take back my ill-timed accusation?

Anonymous said...

A man in the kitchen doing something other than demanding food and getting in the way...amazing....could you take a picture of that?

Shelly said...

Not only can I smell 'em, I gained five pounds thinking about them. Ah, well. Off to the gym to work the thought is baklava off.

Murr Brewster said...

There is a smell in this house that I've never been able to identify, and thanks to you, now I know it's the next pants-size up.

Joanne Noragon said...

A good cookerer is great to have.

Perpetua said...

You lucky thing! A man who loves cooking is to be treasured. :-)

Anonymous said...

Would Willie consider a job as my personal chef?

ellen abbott said...

I have not had baklava made right in so many years I can't remember. all the stuff you can buy in the stores just has all the goodies stuffed between two piles of philo. do you think he would send me some?

Lo said...

Oh God....I haven't had homemade Baklavah since Mrs. Shahinian left us 60 years ago,,,,,

I always knew I loved Willie.......now I think I worship him. Be sure to tell him!

sage said...

I'm hungry for something sweet now...

Connie said...

Willie sounds like a keeper to me! :D

Rose L said...

Does he need a taste tester??????
I would volunteer--no pay needed!!!

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Just what I need to read while feeling hungry.............lol

Geo. said...

"So how are things?"

Things are good, Pearl! I like things.

Tempo said...

Missing you to Pearl...in fact missing the whole online world. Ive got house guests (from Hell) and haven't been able to get near my PC for ages. It's all FaceBook games (which I hate with a passion) and all sorts of other useless crap that prevents me spending time with the people I like. By the time they go I wont have any of my internet credit left for sure... (sigh)

Indigo Roth said...

Now I'm all hungry. Darn you, Pearl, darn you to heck. Roth (no, no kiss for you today)

Jackie said...

You write so well that we all smile and drool!
That's good writin' !!!

tiffany rose said...

Can I pay Willie to be my friend?